Is America Facing a Christmas Spirit Shortfall This Year?

Are you feeling generous this holiday season? According to a survey conducted by Rent.com, more American's than usual are planning to cut back on their Christmas tips, charitable donations, and even their holiday spirit this year. What gives?

Historically, the holiday season has always been a time in which Americans revel in the spirit of giving, donating time, money, and goodwill to spread around the holiday cheer. However, that's not true this year: Rent.com's recent survey of both renters and homeowners found that this recession may be leaving holiday revelers with a bit of a generosity deficit this Christmas.

Tipping
According to Rent.com, 62 percent of Americans won't be handing out a Christmas tip to their building's staff or household help this year. Of the remaining 38 percent of holiday tippers, only one in twenty plans to tip more this year than they did last year. If you happen to work in the service industry, the implications of this survey have to be at least a little bit alarming, right?

Charity
Based on the Rent.com survey, charitable organizations may be bracing for a season of lighter-than-usual holiday donations. According to the data, just over half of all Americans "don't plan to do anything special to contribute to their communities during the holiday season." A person's status as a homeowner or renter doesn't appear to make a statistically significant difference, so it's not that one group is feeling more pinched than the other -- everyone is pulling back when it comes to charitable giving.

Decorations
Holiday decorations may be the biggest bright spot in the survey's festivities forecast. Rent.com found that almost two-thirds (64 percent) of American homeowners plan to deck the halls with decorations that are "festive but not over-the-top," while only 17 percent said they don't plan to decorate. That leaves roughly 19 percent of American homeowners who may or may not consider their own holiday decorations to be "over-the-top."

When it comes to renters, 58 percent felt the need to put up decorations that are "festive but not over-the-top." A slightly higher number (22 percent) said they plan to go Ebenezer Scrooge when it comes to decorating for the holidays.

Loving Thy Neighborhood
Okay, what about the long-held tradition of delivering fruitcakes to friends and neighbors? Here are Rent.com's shocking results: Only 38 percent of homeowners plan to be friendlier to their neighbors during the holidays.

Renters, on the other hand, appear to be more likely to hand out a fruitcake or two -- 43 percent say they plan to be friendlier around the neighborhood during the holidays. Apparently renters make better neighbors. Who knew?

Further Research
In our very own, and somewhat un-scientific, survey, Holidash has found similarly low-ish levels of holiday cheer and generosity.

When asked if they plan to sprinkle around any extra holiday tips this year, we found that only 12.5 percent of those surveyed would be tipping generously.

However, on the charity front, our survey found that a whopping 75 percent of those surveyed plan to donate either time or money over the holidays. Good job, people.

When asked whether they plan to break out the decorations, 50 percent of those surveyed said the would be stringing up lights and tinsel.

When it comes to spreading good cheer throughout the neighborhood, only 37.5 percent said they'd be friendlier than usual to the neighbors. Bah humbug.

What about you -- are you planning to redouble your holiday giving efforts this year? Or are you cutting back? We've got simple suggestions if you're looking to give back, and our friends at ParentDish want to know -- are you cutting back on gifts this year?